Electroslag system for the production of metal castings

ABSTRACT

In an electroslag remelting system, a consumable electrode is immersed in a bath of molten slag formed in a mold. The electrode is maintained fixed relative to the mold and slag is added to the bath of molten slag to maintain the process of melting of the consumable electrode as the electrode melts.

United States Patent 11 1 Paton et al.

1 51 July 17,1973

1 1 ELECTROSLAG SYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METAL CASTINGS [76]Inventors: Boris Evgenievich Paton, ulitsa Kotsjubinskogo, 9, kv. 21;Boris Izrailevich Medovar, Bulvar Lesi Ukrainki 2, kv. 8; JuryVadimovich Latash, Vozdukhoflotsky prospekt, 87, kv. 14; VitalyMikhailovich Baglai, ulitsa Semashke I0, kv. 54/3, all of Kiev, USSR.

[22] Filed: June 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 60,168

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 707,088, Feb. 21,1968.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 25, 1967 U.S.S.R 1,136,880Feb. 25, 1967 U.S.S.R........ 1,136,881 Apr. 20, 1967 U.S.S.R........1,150,103 July 17, 1967 U.S.S.R 1,173,639

[52] US. Cl. 164/252, 13/18 [51] Int. Cl B22d 27/02 [58] Field of Search164/252, 250, 52, 164/48, 50

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,907,807 10/1959 Noesen164/252 3,193,889 7/1965 Lane et al..... 164/252 2,385,989 lO/l945Hopkins 164/252 X 2,385,136 9/1945 Hopkins 164/252 2,127,239 8/1938Stoody 164/252 X 2,759,034 8/1956 Southernm. 164/252 X 2,307,001 12/1942Johnson 164/252 2,761,002 8/1956 Laird ct al. .1. 164/252 X PrimaryExaminer-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-V. K. RisingAtt0rneyWaters, Roditi, Schwartz and Nissen [57] ABSTRACT In anelectroslag remelting system, a consumable electrode is immersed in abath of molten slag formed in a mold. The electrode is maintained fixedrelative to the mold and slag is added to the bath of molten slag tomaintain the process of melting of the consumable electrode as theelectrode melts.

33 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Pa tented July .17, 1973 3,746,075

2 Sheets-Shet 1 Patented Jul 17, 1973 3,746,075

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELECTROSLAG SYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METALCASTINGS This application is a division of copending application Ser.No. 707,088, filed Feb. 2l, 1968.

The present invention relates to plants for the production of metalcastings.

More particularly, the invention relates to a plant for the electroslagremelting of consumable electrodes and can be used, in particular, toproduce ingots from ballbearing, heat-resistant and high-strengthconstruction steels and alloys.

Known in the prior art is a process of electroslag remelting, consistingin that a pool of liquid slag is created in a cooled ingot mold, intowhich the lower ends of one or several metal blanks are immersed servingas a consumable electrode, an electric current being passed through theelectrode and the slag pool. The electric current causes the heatnecessary for melting of the metal blank to be liberated in the slagpool; the metal melted off the blank is given the required shape in theingot mold, forming a casting.

As a rule, the cross section of the consumable electrode is much lessthan that of the mold space, and for this reason the height of the ingotobtained is much less than the length of the electrode being remelted.To maintain the electrode melting process, the mold or the electrodemust be moved so as to preclude breaking of the electric circuit whichwould take place if the electrode leaves the slag pool.

The known plants, in particular, those described in Soviet InventorsCertificate No. 195,482, have mechanisms for moving the electrode ormold, which comprise carriages with an electrode holder or a platformwith the mold, travelling along guide columns. The guide columns areusually cumbersome and have a considerable height, especially in plantsfor casting ingots weighing over tons, and the mechanisms for moving theelectrode or mold must have a large lifting capacity. It can thereforebe stated that such plants are of a complicated design, requireconsiderable working area and high shop structures.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the abovedisadvantages and difficulties.

The specific object of the invention is to provide and a plant for theproduction of metal castings by electroslag remelting of a consumableelectrode, in which, according to the invention, no mutual movement ofthe mold and the electrode is required to maintain the process ofmelting of the consumable electrode.

Disclosed in the present invention is an improved plant for producingmetal castings by electroslag remelting of a consumable electrode in acooled ingot mold. According to the invention, remelting is run with theelectrode in a fixed position relative to the mold, and with slag beingadded to the slag pool to maintain the process of melting of theconsumable electrode as it is used up.

It is good practice to use solid pulverized slag and till the spacebetween the electrode and the mold with it, so as to provide a layer ofsolid slag above the slag bath in the process of melting which wouldgradually enter the slag pool as the electrode is consumed.

This ensures uniform feeding of the slag pool in the mold and protectionof the pool from the surrounding atmosphere; at the same time the layerof solid slag above the bath serves as an adsorbent for the gasesliberated in the process of melting the metal.

In addition, in the proposed plant the slag pool can be constantlyrefreshed as new portions of the solid slag are melted, whereby refiningof the metal is improved.

It is also possible to pre-fill the space between the electrode and themold with liquid slag beforehand and let it solidify; the solid slagwill replenish the slag pool as the electrode melts under its ownweight.

It is also possible to run the plant by periodically adding liquid slagto the slag pool as the electrode melts, the slag being poured in fromabove through the gap between the electrode and the mold.

It will sometimes be expedient to use a tapered consumable electrode andplace it into a conical mold with its greater base upward. With thetaper of the electrode and the mold being the same, notwithstanding theaddition of slag, the depth of the slag pool can be insured to remainconstant, while its volume will increase as the mold widens upward.

It will be preferable to have the taper of the electrode somewhatgreater than that of the mold space to ensure that the height of thebuilt-up ingot will be less than the length of the remelted portion ofthe electrode, and that with the slag pool moving in accordance with theingot growth along the height of the mold, the depth of said pool shouldincrease and insure the optimal ratio between the depth of the slag pooland the diameter of the mold space at the place of the slag poollocation at the given moment.

The advantage of using tapered electrodes consists in that suchelectrodes can be produced by casting the metal in cast iron molds,whereas they were previously manufactured by forging, rolling or incontinuous metal-casting plants.

Practice has also proved that the tapered shape of the mold, wideningupward, results in a more favorable crystallization of the ingot, thecrystallization proceeding upward.

To produce untapered ingots it is desirable to use prismatic orcylindrical electrodes and remelt them in untapered molds or in moldsslightly widening downward. In this case the cross sectional dimensionsof the electrode should be at least nine-tenths of the respectivedimensions of the internal cross section of the mold. This is done toensure that the depth of the slag pool at the end of melting should notexceed technologically tolerable limits.

When using tapered, prismatic and cylindrical electrodes it is desirableto make them with a shoulder in the upper portion, so as to make itpossible to do without an electrode holder and place the electrode inthe mold by arranging its shoulder directly on the current feedingcontact device. In the plant for effecting the process, according to theinvention, this contact device is installed in the upper portion of themold and is electrically insulated from it.

In a plant for the production of tapered castings the mold is made of atleast two parts split along a vertical plane, which can be connected toa mechanism for moving them apart when the ingot is being extracted.

An advantage of the invention as a whole resides, first of all, in thesimplification and lower cost of the plants for electroslag remelting,and also in the simplification of their operation.

Another advantage stems from the high electrotechnical characteristicsof the plants owing to the current conductors from the source of powerto the plants having a comparatively short length and being arrangedparallel to each other at a close distance (bifilarly). This, in turn,made it possible to reduce the resistance and inductive reactance of theelectric circuit of the plant.

The invention made it possible to appreciably reduce the height of theplants and, accordingly, the height of the shop structures accommodatingthem, and also to reduce the floor space used.

The nature of the present invention will become more fully apparent froma consideration of the following description of exemplary embodimentsthereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of a plant according to theinvention, with a tapered mold, used for effecting the process ofproducing metal castings;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the same plant, without the consumableelectrode, the phantom lines showing the separated condition of thesplit mold;

FIG. 3 shows schematically the mutual arrangement of the consumableelectrode and the mold, when the electrode and the mold have the sametaper;

FIG. 4 shows schematically the mutual arrangement of the consumableelectrode and the mold, when the taper of the electrode is greater thanthat of the mold;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a plant according to the invention, with acylindrical mold, used for effecting the process of producing metalcastings.

In one of the possible embodiments, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plantcomprises a cooled tapered mold 1 widening upward and installed on abase 2 with a siphon device 3, which communicates by means of a duct 4in the base 2 with a space 5 of the mold and serves for pouring liquidslag into the mold. The top edge of the mold l carries current-feedingcontact devices 7, insulated from the mold edge by means of a dielectricgasket 6, said contact devices 7 being made as two halfrings (see FIG.2), connected via feeders 8 to a busbar 9, the latter being connected toa source of alternating or direct current (not shown).

A consumable tapered electrode 10 (an ingot cast in a cast iron moldbeing usable for the purpose), with a cross section close to theinternal cross section of the mold l, is so placed in the latter thatits lower end is immersed in the slag pool (not shown), said electrodebearing with its shoulder 11 that is in the upper portion thereof,against the contact devices 7.

In the upper part of the mold 1 two current-feeding contact devices 12are also secured connected via feed ers 13 to a busbar 14, connected tothe same source of current. The electrode 10 can have the same taper asthe mold, or a greater one.

Solid pulverized slag, which is fed into the slag pool as the electrode10 melts for stabilizing the process, is charged into the space betweenthe electrode H0 and the mold 1 from a bin 15 along a chute 16 via ahole (not shown) in the shoulder ll of the electrode 10.

For extracting the finished ingot (not shown) from the mold l the latteris made of two parts IA and IB, split along a vertical plane, each saidpart carrying said contact device 7 made as a half-ring. The parts 11Aand 1B of the mold l are moved apart for extracting the ingot by meansof a mechanism 17, provided with turning levers 18- in a planeperpendicular to the axis of the mold l. The levers 18 are connected tothe parts HA and 1B of the mold. An open mold is shown by the phantomlines in FIG. 2.

Thus a novel feature of the plant described hereinabove is the design ofthe electrode 10 and the mold l which are made tapered, widening upward,with identical or close tapers, and also the fixed position of theelectrode 10 relative to the mold 1.

The principle of operation of the plant and the process for producingingots in this plant are described herein below for embodiments when thetapers of the electrode 10 and the mold 1 are equal, and when the taperof the electrode 10 is greater than that of the mold 1.

By switching on the source of current, voltage is applied to theelectrode 10 and mold l. Preliminarily melted slag is poured into themold 1 through the device 3 in such an amount, as indicated above, thatthe lower end of the electrode 10 should be immersed in 'the slag. Whenthis takes place the process of melting the electrode 10 commences. Thespace between the electrode 10 and the mold 1 is filled with solid slag.It is desirable that in the process of melting the slag pool be coveredby a layer of solid slag, which would gradually drop into it as theelectrode 10 melts; this also contributes to better refining of themetal.

The volume of the slag pool can be maintained by periodically feedingliquid slag into the gap between the electrode 10 and the mold 1. It isalso possible to prefill this space with liquid slag and let it solidifyowing to the intensive removal of heat through the walls of the mold 1and the electrode 10. As the electrode 10 melts, the solidified slagwill also drop into the slag pool under its own weight.

The diagrams presented in FIGS. 3 and 4 show the relation between thelength of the melted portion of the electrode, the height of thebuilt-up ingot and the depth of the slag pool in the process ofremelting, depending on the taper of the electrode 10 and the mold 1.

In case the angles a and B of taper of the mold 1 (FIG. 3) and of theelectrode 10, respectively, are equal and the depth h of the slag poolis specified, it is possible to insure, in the process of melting, theequality of the cross sectional areas of the electrode 10 at the placewhere its melting begins (levels AA or A'A along the surface of the slagpool at the beginning and the end of the melting process, respectively)and of the surface of a metal bath I9 and 19' (levels BB or BB') of aningot 20 being built up.

Under these conditions in the process of melting with the addition ofsolid slag in the space between the electrode 10 and the mold l thedepths h and h of the slag pool are constant, but the ratio between thedepth of the slag pool and the diameter of the mold (at the place wherethe slag pool is located) decreases, whereby the discharge gap 6'between the electrode 10 and the surface of the metal bath H9 at the endof the process becomes less than the discharge gap '0 at the beginningof Upon completion of the melting process the stub of the electrode isremoved and the ingot 20 is extracted from the mold.

It is most expedient to use conical ingots thus produced for forging onhammers and presses.

In another embodiment of the invention (FIG. 5), in contrast to thefirst one, the plant comprises a prismatic or cylindrical mold 21, inwhich a prismatic or tapered electrode 22 is similarly installed, saidelectrode 22 bearing with its shoulder 23 against an annularcurrentfeeding contact device 24 installed on the upper edge of a mold21 and electrically insulated from it by means of a gasket 25.

The plant is supplied from a source of alternating or direct current(not shown) by means of feeders 26.

The internal cross section of the mold 21 may somewhat increase towardthe bottom for the extraction of the ingot to be facilitated.

A base 27 and a siphon device 28 are similar to those described above.For the extraction of the ingot from the mold the base 27 is madevertically movable on a bed-plate 29 connected to a lowering mechanism(not shown).

A condition prereguisite for the operation of this plant is that thecross sectional dimensions of the electrode 22 must be at leastnine-tenths of the corresponding dimensions of the internal crosssection of the mold 21.

This is done to insure that the difference between the linear rates ofelectrode melting and ingot building up should be minimum, and that thedepth of the slag pool at the end of melting should not exceed theappropriate tolerances.

In the process of melting the volume of the slag pool also increaseswith melting of the electrode 22, and the power supplied to the plantmust be increased. The ingots produced in this plant are designed mainlyfor processing in rolling mills.

Described herein are the most easily realizable exemplary embodiments ofthe invention with one consumable electrode. It is also possible,however, to remelt two or three electrodes connected correspondingly inseries (a bifilar circuit), or with a star or delta connection. Here thetotal cross section of the electrodes should then approach the internalsection of the ingot mold.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments describedherein and may have modifications within the scope of the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. An electroslag remelting system for the production of a metal ingotby the melting of at least one consumable electrode in a molten slagbath, comprising a cooled base and a mold in which said consumableelectrode is placed; a source of electric power; contact device meansfor connecting said mold and said consumable electrode to said source ofpower, a portion of said contact device means with insulation meansbeing installed directly on the top of said mold and electricallyinsulated from said mold; and means including said consumable electrode,said mold, and said portion of said contact device means for maintainingsaid consumable electrode vertically stationary and incapable of beingadvanced with respect to said mold during remelting.

2. A system as defined by claim 1, wherein while using a tapered moldthe latter consists of at least two parts and is split in a verticalplane.

3. A system as defined by claim 2, wherein a mechanism is provided formoving apart the parts of said mold for extraction of the ingot.

4. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidmeans for maintaining said consumable electrode vertically stationaryincludes the upper portions of said consumable electrode and said mold.

5. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidmeans for maintaining said consumable electrode vertically stationarywith respect to said mold includes said portion of said contact devicemeans.

6. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, includingmeans for pouring liquid slag into the base portion of said moldenabling pouring with said consumable electrode in place within saidmold.

7. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, includingmeans for adding additional slag to said molten slag bath from the spacebetween said consumable electrode and said mold during the remelting ofsaid consumable electrode.

8. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 7, wherein saidmeans for adding slag during remelting of said consumable electrodeprovides molten slag for introduction into said molten slag bath.

9. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 7, wherein saidmeans for adding slag during remelting of said consumable electrodeprovides pulverized slag for introduction into said molten slag bath.

10. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, including alayer of slag positioned in the space between said consumable electrodeand said mold.

11. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein theinner sidewalls of said mold are tapered vertically downward and whereinsaid consumable electrode placed in said mold has a vertical taper whichapproximately corresponds to the vertical taper of said mold.

12. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidconsumable electrode is tapered vertically downward and wherein theinner sidewalls of said mold are tapered vertically downward, with thevertical taper of said consumable electrode being greater than that ofsaid mold.

13. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein thecross sectional dimensions of said consumable electrode in a horizontalplane are at least nine-tenths of the corresponding dimensions of theinternal cross section of said mold.

14. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidconsumable electrode has an integral outer shoulder at the upper portionthereof, said shoulder designed to bear directly against said portion ofsaid contact device means.

15. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 14, wherein theweight of said consumable electrode presses it into electrical contactwith said portion of said contact device means.

16. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 14, wherein saidportion of said contact device means consists of a metal ring in contactwith said shoulder for supplying electric power to said electrode 20. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein said outersurfaces of said electrode are substantially parallel to the innersidewall surfaces of said mold.

21. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, includingmeans to move said cooled base relative to said mold to facilitateremoval of said formed ingot.

22. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidmold has inner sidewall surfaces parallel to the vertical axis of saidmold.

23. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, includingmeans to move at least a portion of the mold sidewall away from theformed metal ingot to facilitate removal of said ingot from said mold.

24. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 23, wherein saidmold is formed in two parts, and means are provided to move said twoparts relative to one another away from said ingot to facilitate removalof said ingot from said mold.

25. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 24, wherein saidmold is formed in two parts which are moved apart to facilitate removalof said ingot and wherein said mold parts are joined one to anotheralong lines parallel to the vertical axis of said mold when closed.

26. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidcontact device means comprises two half-rings connected through feederelements to a bifurcated bus bar.

27. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidcontact device means includes at least one bus bar connected to saidmold and at least one bus bar connected to said electrode, and said busbars positioned closely spaced and parallel to one another to reduceinductive loss.

28. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein thecross-sectional area of the lower end of said consumable electrode issubstantially equal to the cross sectional area of the upper end of saidingot.

29. An electroslag remelting system for the production of a metal ingotby the melting of at least one consumable electrode in a molten slagbath, comprising a cooled base and a mold in whichsaid consumableelectrode is placed; a source of electric power; a contact device meansfor connecting said mold and said consumable electrode to said source ofpower, a portion of said contact device means with insulation meansbeing installed directly on the top of said mold and electricallyinsulated from said mold; said consumable electrode having an integralouter shoulder at the upper portion thereof designed to bear directlyagainst said portion of said contact device means; means including saidconsumable electrode, said mold, and said portion of said contact devicemeans for maintaining said consumable electrode vertically stationaryand incapable of being advanced with respect to said mold duringremelting; means for adding additional slag to said molten slag bathfrom the space between said consumable electrode and said mold duringthe remelting of said consumable electrode; and means to move at least aportion of the mold sidewall away from the formed metal ingot tofacilitate removal of said ingot from said mold.

30. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29, includingmeans for pouring liquid slag into the base portion of said moldenabling pouring with said consumable electrode placed within said mold.

31. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29, wherein theinner sidewalls of said mold are tapered vertically downward and whereinsaid consumable electrode placed in said mold has a vertical taper whichapproximately corresponds to the vertical taper of said mold.

32. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29, wherein thecross-sectional dimensions of said consumable electrode in a horizontalplane are at least nine-tenths of the corresponding dimensions of theinternal cross section of said mold.

33. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29, wherein saidmold is formed in two parts, and means are provided to move said twoparts relative to one another away from said ingot to facilitate removalof said ingot from said mold.

Invent UNRTED sn'rzcs PA'iI-ZNT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIGN Patent3,746,075 Deted July 17, 1973 01(5) BORIS E. PATON et al It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identif and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected at shown below:

Column 1, line 44, cancel "and" Column 7, line 48, insert --are after"bars".

Signed slid sealed this 22nd day of January 19m.-

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER, JR. RENE D. TEGTMEIYER Attestlng Officer" ActingCommissioner of Patents ied petcnt' UNITED sm'xxas PA'IENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Fatent. No. 317461075 Dated July 17, 1973Inventor(s) BORIS E. PATON et al It is certified that error appears inthe above-identified petent' and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 44, cancel "and" Column 7, line 48, insert --are-- afterbars y Signed and sealed this 22nd day 01" January 197E;

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWAREMFLETCHER, JR. I RENE D. TEGTMIEYER Attesting OfflOGI" ActingCommissioner of Patents

1. An electroslag remelting system for the production of a metal ingotby the melting of at least one consumable electrode in a molten slagbath, comprising a cooled base and a mold in which said consumableelectrode is placed; a source of electric power; contact device meansfor connecting said mold and said consumable electrode to said source ofpower, a portion of said contact device means with insulation meansbeing installed directly on the top of said mold and electricallyinsulated from said mold; and means including said consumable electrode,said mold, and said portion of said contact device means for maintainingsaid consumable electrode vertically stationary and incapable of beingadvanced with respect to said mold during remelting.
 2. A system asdefined by claim 1, wherein while using a tapered mold the latterconsists of at least two parts and is split in a vertical plane.
 3. Asystem as defined by claim 2, wherein a mechanism is provided for movingapart the parts of said mold for extraction of the ingot.
 4. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein said meansfor maintaining said consumable electrode vertically stationary includesthe upper portions of said consumable electrode and said mold.
 5. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein said meansfor maintaining said consumable electrode vertically stationary withrespect to said mold includes said portion of said contact device means.6. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, includingmeans for pouring liquid slag into the base portion of said moldenabling pouring with said consumable electrode in place within saidmold.
 7. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1,including means for adding additional slag to said molten slag bath fromthe space between said consumable electrode and said mold during theremelting of said consumable electrode.
 8. An electroslag remeltingsystem as defined by claim 7, wherein said means for adding slag duringremelting of said consumable electrode provides molten slag forintroduction into said molten slag bath.
 9. An electroslag remeltingsystem as defined by claim 7, wherein said means for adding slag duringremelting of said consumable electrode provides pulverized slag forintroduction into said molten slag bath.
 10. An electroslag remeltingsystem as defined by claim 1, including a layer of slag positioned inthe space between said consumable electrode and said mold.
 11. AnElectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein the innersidewalls of said mold are tapered vertically downward and wherein saidconsumable electrode placed in said mold has a vertical taper whichapproximately corresponds to the vertical taper of said mold.
 12. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidconsumable electrode is tapered vertically downward and wherein theinner sidewalls of said mold are tapered vertically downward, with thevertical taper of said consumable electrode being greater than that ofsaid mold.
 13. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1,wherein the cross sectional dimensions of said consumable electrode in ahorizontal plane are at least nine-tenths of the correspondingdimensions of the internal cross section of said mold.
 14. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidconsumable electrode has an integral outer shoulder at the upper portionthereof, said shoulder designed to bear directly against said portion ofsaid contact device means.
 15. An electroslag remelting system asdefined by claim 14, wherein the weight of said consumable electrodepresses it into electrical contact with said portion of said contactdevice means.
 16. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim14, wherein said portion of said contact device means consists of ametal ring in contact with said shoulder for supplying electric power tosaid electrode and a dielectric member preventing contact of said metalring with the upper portion of said mold.
 17. An electroslag remeltingsystem as defined by claim 16, wherein said contact device meansincludes a second metal ring interposed between said dielectric memberand in contact with said mold for supplying electric power to said mold.18. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein atleast two consumable electrodes are melted simultaneously in said mold.19. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidconsumable electrode has outer surfaces parallel to its vertical axis.20. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidouter surfaces of said electrode are substantially parallel to the innersidewall surfaces of said mold.
 21. An electroslag remelting system asdefined by claim 1, including means to move said cooled base relative tosaid mold to facilitate removal of said formed ingot.
 22. An electroslagremelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein said mold has innersidewall surfaces parallel to the vertical axis of said mold.
 23. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, including means tomove at least a portion of the mold sidewall away from the formed metalingot to facilitate removal of said ingot from said mold.
 24. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 23, wherein said moldis formed in two parts, and means are provided to move said two partsrelative to one another away from said ingot to facilitate removal ofsaid ingot from said mold.
 25. An electroslag remelting system asdefined by claim 24, wherein said mold is formed in two parts which aremoved apart to facilitate removal of said ingot and wherein said moldparts are joined one to another along lines parallel to the verticalaxis of said mold when closed.
 26. An electroslag remelting system asdefined by claim 1, wherein said contact device means comprises twohalf-rings connected through feeder elements to a bifurcated bus bar.27. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 1, wherein saidcontact device means includes at least one bus bar connected to saidmold and at least one bus bar connected to said electrode, and said busbars positioned closely spaced and parallel to one another to reduceinductive loss.
 28. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the lower end of said consumableelectrode is substantially equal to the cross sectional area of theupper end of said ingot.
 29. An electroslag remelting system for theproduction of a metal ingot by the melting of at least one consumableelectrode in a molten slag bath, comprising a cooled base and a mold inwhich said consumable electrode is placed; a source of electric power; acontact device means for connecting said mold and said consumableelectrode to said source of power, a portion of said contact devicemeans with insulation means being installed directly on the top of saidmold and electrically insulated from said mold; said consumableelectrode having an integral outer shoulder at the upper portion thereofdesigned to bear directly against said portion of said contact devicemeans; means including said consumable electrode, said mold, and saidportion of said contact device means for maintaining said consumableelectrode vertically stationary and incapable of being advanced withrespect to said mold during remelting; means for adding additional slagto said molten slag bath from the space between said consumableelectrode and said mold during the remelting of said consumableelectrode; and means to move at least a portion of the mold sidewallaway from the formed metal ingot to facilitate removal of said ingotfrom said mold.
 30. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim29, including means for pouring liquid slag into the base portion ofsaid mold enabling pouring with said consumable electrode placed withinsaid mold.
 31. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29,wherein the inner sidewalls of said mold are tapered vertically downwardand wherein said consumable electrode placed in said mold has a verticaltaper which approximately corresponds to the vertical taper of saidmold.
 32. An electroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29,wherein the cross-sectional dimensions of said consumable electrode in ahorizontal plane are at least nine-tenths of the correspondingdimensions of the internal cross section of said mold.
 33. Anelectroslag remelting system as defined by claim 29, wherein said moldis formed in two parts, and means are provided to move said two partsrelative to one another away from said ingot to facilitate removal ofsaid ingot from said mold.